Paver work machine with a thermal management system

Abstract

A paver work machine comprises of a hopper, a screed, a thermal manage system with a heat pump, and a controller. The hopper receives and distributes paving material, and the screed levels the paving material on the ground surface. The thermal management system includes a thermal energy circuit for circulating a medium through an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion device. The compressor receives the medium from the evaporator and is operable to compress and circulate the medium through the thermal energy circuit. The evaporator receives the medium from the expansion device and is operable to transfer heat to the medium. The condenser is operable to desorb heat form the medium and adapted to transfer heat desorbed from the medium to one or more the hopper or the screed. A controller controls heat transfer between the condenser and one or more of the screed and the hopper.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A paver work machine comprising:
 a hopper adapted to receive and distribute a paving material;   a screed adapted to level the paving material on a ground surface;   a heat pump system including:
 a thermal energy circuit for circulating a medium through an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion device; 
 wherein the compressor is positioned within the thermal energy circuit to receive the medium from the evaporator and is operable to compress and circulate the medium through the thermal energy circuit; 
 wherein the condenser is positioned within the thermal energy circuit to receive the medium from the compressor; 
 wherein the expansion device is positioned within the thermal energy circuit to receive the medium from the condenser and is operable to control a flow of the medium in the thermal energy circuit; 
 wherein the evaporator is positioned within the thermal energy circuit to receive the medium from the expansion device and is operable to transfer a heat to the medium; 
 wherein the condenser is operable to desorb heat from the medium and adapted to transfer heat desorbed from the medium to one of the hopper, and the screed; and 
   a controller adapted to control heat transfer between the condenser and one of the screed and the hopper.   
     
     
         2 . The paver work machine of  claim 1 , wherein the thermal energy circuit comprises a closed-loop system that allows for continuous circulation of the medium and exchange of thermal energy. 
     
     
         3 . The paver work machine of  claim 2 , wherein the circulation of the medium flows in one direction. 
     
     
         4 . The paver work machine of  claim 1 , wherein the heat pump system further comprises a pump circulating a heating fluid through a heating fluid circuit, between the condenser and the one of the screed and the hopper to transfer the heat from the condenser to one of the screed and the hopper, wherein the controller controls the rate of diversion of the heat by adjusting a flow rate of the heating fluid output by the pump. 
     
     
         5 . The paver work machine of  claim 1 , wherein the compressor of the heat pump system is powered by a prime mover. 
     
     
         6 . The paver work machine of  claim 5 , wherein the prime mover is an electric power source. 
     
     
         7 . The paver work machine of  claim 1 , wherein the heat pump system further comprises an air distribution system for directing cooled air from the evaporator to a cool air outlet. 
     
     
         8 . The paver work machine of  claim 1 , wherein the controller operates transferring heat between the condenser and one of the screed and the hopper within a defined ambient air temperature range. 
     
     
         9 . The paver work machine of  claim 4 , wherein the heating fluid circuit engages a back surface of one of the hopper and the screed. 
     
     
         10 . The paver work machine of  claim 4 , wherein the heat pump system further comprises a pump circulating a heating fluid through a heating fluid circuit, between the condenser and a longitudinal conveyer. 
     
     
         11 . The paver work machine of  claim 4 , wherein the heat pump system further comprises a blower for distributing heated air around the heating fluid circuit, towards a surface contacting the paving material. 
     
     
         12 . The paver work machine of  claim 1 , wherein the heat pump system further comprises a blower for distributing heated air around the thermal energy circuit, towards a surface contacting the paving material. 
     
     
         13 . A method of managing thermal energy in a paver work machine, the method comprising:
 providing a heat pump system with a thermal energy circuit circulating a medium through an evaporator, a compressor, a condenser, and an expansion device;   receiving the medium from the evaporator by the compressor;   compressing and circulating the medium through the thermal energy circuit;   receiving the compressed medium from the compressor by the condenser;   desorbing a heat from the medium by the condenser;   transferring the desorbed heat from the condenser to one of the screed and the hopper;   controlling a flow of the medium from the condenser by the expansion device;   receiving the medium from the expansion device by the evaporator; and   transferring heat to the medium by the evaporator.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 circulating a heating fluid by a pump in a heating fluid circuit between the condenser and a one of the screed and the hopper to transfer the desorbed heat from the condenser to the one of the screed and the hopper, wherein a controller controls a rate of diversion of the heat by adjusting a flow rate of the heating fluid output by the pump. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 directing a cooled air desorbed of the heat from the medium by the evaporator through an air distribution system to a cool air outlet. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13  wherein the thermal energy circuit comprises a closed-loop system that allows for continuous circulation of the medium and exchange of thermal energy. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the circulation of the medium flows in one direction. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the heating fluid circuit engages a back surface of one of the hopper and the screed. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the heating fluid circuit circulates between the condenser and a longitudinal conveyer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein transferring the desorbed heat from the condenser to one of the screed and the hopper includes a blower for distributing a heated air sourced from air near one of the thermal energy circuit and the heating fluid circuit, towards a surface contacting the paving material.